Living Abroad Life in the US

9 things Brazilians living in the U.S. will miss about Brazil

Wise

16.12.16 (updated more than 1 year ago)

Read time 2 minutes

No matter how much you enjoy living in a different country, there are always certain things that you’ll miss about home.

Here, we’ve rounded up a few of the things that Brazilians living in the U.S told Wise they miss the most from back home.

Brazilian BBQ

meat

Brazil’s famous for it’s all you-can-eat churrascarias; restaurants that specialize in serving assorted grilled meats straight from the spit.

Using green or red cards, guests indicate to their gaucho (waiter) if they would like them to pass by their table and offer them a cut of meat.

Wearing Havaianas Year-round

flip

Created and manaufactured in Brazil, “havies” (also known as flip flops) can be worn year-round.

Naturally, they're acceptable footwear for pretty much any occasion.

Futebol

Soccer, famously, is taken more seriously in Brazil than anywhere and adored by millions of fans across the country.

There's growing enthusiasm for the support in the U.S., but it's nothing like back in Brazil where it's essentially like a religion.

Luiz, who now lives in New York, explained:

“When it comes to football, we don’t mess around in Brazil. We’re the only team in history that has qualified for every World Cup and that means a lot to us. Employers even install tv’s in the office during the World Cup to ensure that people still come to work throughout the tournament.”

Avocado Smoothies

avo

A favourite for those of all ages, avocado smoothies were popular in Brazil long before they became a trendy health snack in America.

Often it's mixed with milk and sugar for an unbeatable treat - delicious and refreshing. Nice.

Beijinhos on both Cheeks

In America, it’s common to greet someone with a handshake or a light hug.

But in Brazil, women are always greeted with beijinhos (little air kisses) on the cheek.

Depending on which state you’re in, it’s custom to give one, two or three kisses. The first kiss always goes to the right cheek while the second goes to the left.

Optional Tipping

In Brazil, tipping is optional because servers don't depend on tips as part of their salaries.

But in America, tips are a big part of the overall income for servers and it’s typical to leave over 15% when you eat out.

Street Food

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Pao de queijo, coxinhas, cassava chips and pastels are all common, delicious street food that are easily found in Brazil.

How does that NYC hot dog vendor compare?

Carnival

carnival

The annual festival that occurs across the country in February, Carnival is a popular, colourful, musical event that visitors travel to from all over the world.

Carnival is complete with parades, dancing and drinking in the street. Jose, a Brazilian living in Los Angeles, told us why there’s so much excitement around it:

“My absolute favourite holiday in Brazil has to be Carnival because it’s the time of year where people really let loose and let our unique culture shins. All of the colours, the music, the dancing and the festivities showcase who we are as people. Which is a pretty playful bunch!”

Bolinho de Chuva (Raindrop Donuts)

food1

Fried dough balls sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar - what's not to like?

And, as they require only simple ingredients, it’s easy to make them in large batches at home - just in case you do find yourself missing them that bit too much.

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